A visit with Evelyn and a new project in her memory

Evelyn and sculptor Bridgette Mongeon 

It has taken me nearly three years to get over to the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center and take pictures of the sculpture of Evelyn.  But just because Evelyn's sculpture is complete it does not mean my connection to this woman is over. On the contrary. I have been working for 3 years to create a fitting tribute for her for a park in Bellaire, Texas. I am happy to say that the signing of that agreement took place in July of 2015 and the sculpture is well under way.

At two my grand daughter is just becoming familiar with
Gamma's artwork.  I was so excited to introduce her to Evelyn.
She now knows who is responsible for the marvelous park
where Gamma's newest creation will be placed.

Evelyn's Park will soon be a place for families and Children to enjoy

Groundbreaking with my grand daughter and Jerry Rubenstein

Evelyn's Park is located just inside the loop at the former location of Teas Nursery. The expected date of the opening of the park and the completion of phase one is Summer 2016.

The sculpture of the Mad Hatter Tea party is created in the memory of
Evelyn Rubenstein.  Follow along on the Finding Alice Fcebook page. 
Date of installation is scheduled for November 2016

Tomorrow Evelyn Goes Home

It has been a while in between posts, but tomorrow we will be bringing the Evelyn sculpture to the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center.  She may be home, but she will be standing somewhere out of site until the plaque is ready and plans have been made for installation. It won't be long now. Pictures to come.

A completion of a bronze

The sculpture is heated and
chemicals are applied to
produce the appropriate
color of a traditional patina

After about three metal checks the sculpture finally meets my approval for patination.  It is once again sand blasted and the  patination is applied.  To get the color or patina the foundry man heats up the bronze with a torch and applies different chemicals. Often at this point I cannot tell what the sculpture will look like complete with the wax covering. So the foundry man wets the sculpture down with a hose.  This gives the same appearance of the waxing process.  The final process is a coat of hot wax.

Now on to figuring out installation.  According to the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center they are having an event called the maccabie conference. It begins august 5th and goes to the 10th. I'm not sure why we can't install it now, as the sculpture will be there for the up and coming conferences, but they have asked us to wait. So, I expect installation at the end of August.  More on the installation and unveiling of Evelyn.

Only the artist gets to draw on a bronze!

I was thrilled to be called into the foundry today to see the progress of Evelyn. She is well on her way to being complete for the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center.  Unfortunately they are having a major event at the ERJCC so we will not be able to install her until the middle/end of August.


These are the things I look fro when I go to the foundry for a metal check

• Does each piece look the way I sculpted it?
• Are there any metal burrs that need to be removed?
• Does the texture match my texture where it has been welded?
• Do her hands look natural in their placement on her body. 
• How do all appendages look?
• Are there any holes or things that need to be fixed?

I walk around the sculpture and mark it with a marker. The foundry man will come back in and fix the things I request.  She is so close. Next post will be about the patination or the final color of Evelyn. 

Moved into the light I examine Evelyn closely

Yes, I do scribble on bronze.  I do not endorse such behavior,

Unless of course, you are the artist. 

I hope others will interact with Evelyn when

she is placed.

Such lovely hands. 

Poor Evelyn

I sure hate to see Evelyn this way. Not only is she in pieces, but she has welds all over her. I trust in Miguel at Betz Art Foundry. His work is impeccable. She will soon see Evelyn back together. I hate posting the picture with her with the strap around her neck, but we don't want her to fall over and she is not welded to her base yet. I want to be sure she is going to stand properly so we tack on the arms and check her attitude! She does stand with an attitude and I want to be sure it is there.

The foundry men prepare to put Evelyn on 

her base. 

There are so many piece of Evelyn.  I have perfected the 

sculpting and the wax and then see what a mess the process

creates.  Not to fear, the foundry man at Betz foundry is 

incredible. We will have Evelyn back together in no time at all. 

I'm checking and rechecking the pieces to be sure

that everything is going to fit.  I'm very picky. 

If you remember the wax pour you might have seen that 

this part of Evelyn's hand was cut away in the gating

of Evelyn's hand.  I'll be checking closely to be sure this 

looks perfect before my client sees it.  

I hate to see the strap around her neck, but how else can she 

stand up?  O.k Miguel you better match my texture.